I don’t get it. In June, the governor approves funding for Milestone Recovery to have 14 additional beds in a new facility, and now I read that Milestone is in danger of closing (“Maine homeless shelters warn of financial crisis,” Dec. 6).
I applaud the governor for allocating $6 million for 140 new treatment beds across the state, but I worry that the state is not looking at the problem of substance abuse holistically. If $6 million will yield 140 new treatment beds, what are we doing with the $235 million from the opioid settlement? Why are we not spending that money to support Milestone? This is what they do! They help people recover from drug addiction.
I have a deep fear that the opioid settlement money will be wasted, misallocated or eaten up by bureaucratic red tape. We need to fund the recovery houses. We need to provide full scholarships to any Mainer who commits to using their degree in addiction counseling to work here for 10 years. Homelessness is a symptom. The disease is drug addiction.
John Schaberg
Portland
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